It has been a long time coming, but poker machine reform has finally passed as legislation. This means that pokie club owners will be required to adhere to regulations set out by the local government with regards to voluntary pre-commitment technology. While MP Andrew Wilkie, who fought the reform from the beginning, is pleased with the results of the legislation, many anti-gambling advocates are disappointed.

It is no secret that the new plans for gambling reform are a watered down version of what Wilkie had originally proposed. While it was hoped that all machines would be equipped with mandatory pre-commitment technology, legislation requires that pokies present players voluntary pre-commitment instead.

While it was originally proposed that casino and gaming club ATMs would limit players to withdrawing $250 a day, the legislation states that this limit does not apply to EFTPOS payments. Another amendment to the original pokie reform proposal is the deadline. Originally, 2016 was the year by which all poker machines would have to install pre-commitment technology. Now, that deadline has been extended to 2018.

This amendment has been passed, as local gaming clubs were worried that they would not have enough time or money to install the software by the original deadline. So, for responsible gambling advocates, it seems to be a case of taking what they can get with regards to poker machine reform. The Gillard government has stood its ground for the past year, making few compromises on the terms of the reform regulations.

What this had led to is a set of gambling reforms that have been deemed as ineffective by local community groups. Wilkie chooses to look on the bright side, however. While most responsible gambling advocates are not impressed with the new gambling reform laws, the independent MP feels that this is a positive step forward.

Wilkie states that the legislation sets a precedent, demonstrating that the local government is willing to intervene when problem gambling becomes an important issue among Australians.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.